


I'm By Your Side, Walking With You, Into the Light

by ADreamIsASoftPlaceToLand



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Gift Giving, Junoverse (The Penumbra Podcast), Pre-Canon, because it's juno, but like Rita is all fluff, rita is sneaky and juno is oblivious, set VERY early in their friendship, surprise presents, with just a lil angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:13:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25178977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADreamIsASoftPlaceToLand/pseuds/ADreamIsASoftPlaceToLand
Summary: written for the prompt "hey! I've got something for you!! wait right here!!" requested by @greyhawkrogue on tumblr!title from "take your time" by humbear
Relationships: Rita & Juno Steel
Comments: 16
Kudos: 44





	I'm By Your Side, Walking With You, Into the Light

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Raven! You probably don't even remember submitting this. I am a disaster and I'm SO SORRY but hopefully you like it!! I love you!! <3<3<3

“OH!!! OH!!!! MISTAH STEEL I ALMOST FORGOT!!! WAIT RIGHT HERE, I’VE GOT SOMEHIN’ FOR YA!” Rita bounces off the couch in a flurry of tulle and incoherent squeaks and Juno doesn’t even bother calling after her. They had been huddled up together on Rita’s couch watching reruns of an old stream he can’t be bothered to remember the name of. He has no clue what she’s talking about, but he knows he’ll find out whether he wants to or not. He fidgets with the edge of the blanket he’s still cocooned in while he waits, trying not to be set on edge by the occasional delighted shrieks that ring out from Rita’s room. 

He's never been to her apartment before, and while he can't deny that he _liked_ Rita, the sudden jump from Rita’s boss to practically best friend _swaddled_ in blankets on her couch was… unsettling. He has no idea why she’s even invited him over tonight, she just _insisted_ that he go out to dinner with her and spend the rest of the night eating snacks and watching streams. _Bonding time_ , she’d said. _He needed to get out more_ , she’d said. There was nothing said about _presents_ , and he squints suspiciously down the hallway, thinking perhaps he yet again underestimated his assistant. 

A moment later the hurricane that is his assistant returns and suddenly there is a box in his lap. It is haphazardly wrapped, two of the corners aren’t even covered in wrapping paper, and the bow is on the _side_ of the box (at least he _thinks_ it’s the side, he’s making the assumption that she put the box in his lap right-side-up, which, all things considered, isn’t a guarantee). He looks up at her quizzically and she wriggles in her seat like an over-excited puppy. He sighs extricates himself from the bundle of blankets he’s wrapped in so he can begin slowly unwrapping the box, letting the wrapping paper flutter to the floor in front of him. 

The top of the box pops off and he looks inside to see a wad of thick, dark fabric. He pulls it out and realizes it’s a scarf. At first he thinks it’s just plain black, which is fine by him since most of his wardrobe is plain colors anyway, but as he lifts it out of the box it _shimmers_ and his eye catches on a subtle patter than meanders through the fabric. He splays the fabric across his lap and his breath catches as he sees the pattern in full. 

There are silhouettes in a silky black fabric woven throughout the thicker scarf material. Silhouettes of dancers, in a variety of positions, the epitome of grace and beauty. He takes a shaky breath, “Rita wh-“

“Happy birthday, Mistah Steel,” Rita says, and Juno’s not sure if he’s ever heard her speak so quietly before. “I- I knew ya probably wouldn’t wanna to make a big deal about it, but. I couldn’t let ya spend the night alone, y’know? And… and I know it’s not just _your_ birthday today and well- I know we never met, and I couldn’t really- y’know, I just wanted t-“

“Thanks, Rita,” Juno cuts her off, sure if she keeps talking that he’ll break, and he can’t let that happen. He sniffs and uses the excuse of putting on the scarf to bring his hands up to palm away the tears pooling in his eyes. 

Rita doesn’t speak again, and neither does he, but she scoots a little closer to him on the couch, holds out her bowl of salmon snacks for him to share, and lets the stream play. 

**Author's Note:**

> come be my friend on tumblr @shorter-than-her-tbr-pile


End file.
